Do you want to make smoothies so you can 'trick' your child into eating healthier? I've been in your shoes! Trying to coerce a toddler to eat a healthy diet is a challenge for many parents, myself included. While you would love for your child to raid the crisper drawer on their own, it's ok to realize that they need a little push, nutrition-wise. Making your own smoothies from scratch is a great way to fill in the gaps in your child's diet, and it gives you complete control over what is included. Follow these basic rules to ensure that your child eats a healthy diet every single day:
5 Easy Nutrition Rules for Healthy Kids
At least three helpings of fresh veggies
Two helpings of fiber rich fruit
3 servings of milk or dairy
3 servings of whole grains
1/2 their body weight in grams of lean protein
Does your child eat three servings of vegetables every day? Do you even know what a serving of vegetables looks like? One serving of vegetables is one cup of raw veggies or 1/2 cup of cooked (preferably steamed or baked - not fried) veggies. Children can be enticed to eat raw vegetables by providing dips or sauces such as hummus, greek yogurt, or low fat salad dressing. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon does wonders for the taste of steamed vegetables. A layer of melted cheese can make baked vegetables much more appealing to a toddler. Incorporating vegetables into homemade smoothies is an easy way to ensure that your child is consuming enough vegetables, because you can tweak and adjust basic recipes to your child's tastes.
Does your child eat at least two servings of fresh fruit every day? Fruit juice doesn't count. One helping of fruit is equal to one medium size fruit or 3/4 cup of berries. Fruit is easily served at breakfast, as a sweet alternative topping to cereal, waffles, pancakes, or whole grain oatmeal. Some fruits that are especially great for toppings are strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and fresh peaches. Another great way to serve fruit to toddlers is in a delicious homemade fruit smoothie. You can add one to two servings of fruit to your favorite fruit juice or milk beverage to make a delicious frosty treat. Silly straws are especially fun ways for children to drink their fruity smoothies. Frozen bananas are a great fruit to put into smoothies because they add a creaminess that is hard to achieve with other fruits. For this very fact, I recommend that you add bananas in addition to any other fruit you would like to use.
Most Toddlers love to eat whole grains. Think about it - what child doesn't like to eat spaghetti, macaroni or ravioli? As long as the ingredient list has the words 'whole grain' in it somewhere close to the top, then the pasta or cereal is likely a great source of whole grains. You can try to expand your child's whole grain intake by also offering grains such as rice, millet, or oatmeal. Whenever you offer a new grain, it's a good idea to offer is plain. Just a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of salt of cheese is a perfect way to introduce your toddler to a new grain. One thing to watch for - most cereals that are marketed to toddlers are high in sugar. The ideal whole grain breakfast cereal for toddlers has less than 6 grams of sugar per serving.
Calcium is important for a number of reasons, including building those strong bones that help your child grow up! You probably know that calcium is found in milk, but there are actually a variety of ways for your child to get their daily recomendation of calcium. Yogurt, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, green vegetables, beans, tofu, and calcium fortified juice are all great ways to increase your child's calcium intake - especially if they don't like to drink milk. One serving of the calcium that toddlers need is equal to one cup. Calcium can be a high source of bad, artery-clogging fat, so be sure to choose and serve low-fat options to your child.
Does your child like chicken nuggets? Great! Toddlers need quite a bit of protein, and chicken nuggets are one way for children to get more protein. Generally, as children grow, their recommended protein intake increases. To find the ideal amount of protein for your child follow these steps: Divide your child's weight in pounds by 2. That number is the ideal amount of protein in grams that your child needs daily. Protein can be found in a wide variety of sources, but lean protein is what you should be serving your child. Lean protein is likely found in grilled chicken, turkey burgers, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, reduced fat peanut butter, tofu, eggs, nuts, vegetable burgers, pizza, and low-fat string cheese. Yogurt, milk, peanut butter, and tofu all taste delicious in smoothies and add protein.
Smoothies are a fun way for toddlers to increase their fruit, vegetable, dairy and whole grain intake. Best of luck to you!
Please speak to your pediatrician before changing your child's diet. The nutrition rules above are only suggested guidelines.
5 Easy Nutrition Rules for Healthy Kids
At least three helpings of fresh veggies
Two helpings of fiber rich fruit
3 servings of milk or dairy
3 servings of whole grains
1/2 their body weight in grams of lean protein
Does your child eat three servings of vegetables every day? Do you even know what a serving of vegetables looks like? One serving of vegetables is one cup of raw veggies or 1/2 cup of cooked (preferably steamed or baked - not fried) veggies. Children can be enticed to eat raw vegetables by providing dips or sauces such as hummus, greek yogurt, or low fat salad dressing. A sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon does wonders for the taste of steamed vegetables. A layer of melted cheese can make baked vegetables much more appealing to a toddler. Incorporating vegetables into homemade smoothies is an easy way to ensure that your child is consuming enough vegetables, because you can tweak and adjust basic recipes to your child's tastes.
Does your child eat at least two servings of fresh fruit every day? Fruit juice doesn't count. One helping of fruit is equal to one medium size fruit or 3/4 cup of berries. Fruit is easily served at breakfast, as a sweet alternative topping to cereal, waffles, pancakes, or whole grain oatmeal. Some fruits that are especially great for toppings are strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and fresh peaches. Another great way to serve fruit to toddlers is in a delicious homemade fruit smoothie. You can add one to two servings of fruit to your favorite fruit juice or milk beverage to make a delicious frosty treat. Silly straws are especially fun ways for children to drink their fruity smoothies. Frozen bananas are a great fruit to put into smoothies because they add a creaminess that is hard to achieve with other fruits. For this very fact, I recommend that you add bananas in addition to any other fruit you would like to use.
Most Toddlers love to eat whole grains. Think about it - what child doesn't like to eat spaghetti, macaroni or ravioli? As long as the ingredient list has the words 'whole grain' in it somewhere close to the top, then the pasta or cereal is likely a great source of whole grains. You can try to expand your child's whole grain intake by also offering grains such as rice, millet, or oatmeal. Whenever you offer a new grain, it's a good idea to offer is plain. Just a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of salt of cheese is a perfect way to introduce your toddler to a new grain. One thing to watch for - most cereals that are marketed to toddlers are high in sugar. The ideal whole grain breakfast cereal for toddlers has less than 6 grams of sugar per serving.
Calcium is important for a number of reasons, including building those strong bones that help your child grow up! You probably know that calcium is found in milk, but there are actually a variety of ways for your child to get their daily recomendation of calcium. Yogurt, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, green vegetables, beans, tofu, and calcium fortified juice are all great ways to increase your child's calcium intake - especially if they don't like to drink milk. One serving of the calcium that toddlers need is equal to one cup. Calcium can be a high source of bad, artery-clogging fat, so be sure to choose and serve low-fat options to your child.
Does your child like chicken nuggets? Great! Toddlers need quite a bit of protein, and chicken nuggets are one way for children to get more protein. Generally, as children grow, their recommended protein intake increases. To find the ideal amount of protein for your child follow these steps: Divide your child's weight in pounds by 2. That number is the ideal amount of protein in grams that your child needs daily. Protein can be found in a wide variety of sources, but lean protein is what you should be serving your child. Lean protein is likely found in grilled chicken, turkey burgers, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, reduced fat peanut butter, tofu, eggs, nuts, vegetable burgers, pizza, and low-fat string cheese. Yogurt, milk, peanut butter, and tofu all taste delicious in smoothies and add protein.
Smoothies are a fun way for toddlers to increase their fruit, vegetable, dairy and whole grain intake. Best of luck to you!
Please speak to your pediatrician before changing your child's diet. The nutrition rules above are only suggested guidelines.
About the Author:
Begging them to eat their veggies just became easier! Green veggies go unnoticedin our green smoothie recipes for kids.
